[boost] Re: Boost memory management guidelines

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-09-01 15:48:43

Gregory Colvin <gregory.colvin_at_[hidden]> writes:

>>> Conforming containers had better use them.
>>
>> I'm sorry, but I think that's flat wrong.  What do you suppose that
>> entry in column 2 of the allocator requirements table (20.1.5) means,
>> after all?
>
> It means any value returned by construct, destroy, or deallocate goes
> unused.
>
>>> And once you are down in the coal mine customizing what a pointer
>>> is, I'm not sure you won't need to customize how to construct and
>>> destroy.
>>
>> The class getting constructed/destroyed has full control over that or
>> the language is utterly bustificated.
>
> Yes, but the allocator may want to do something else as well, and
> construct and destroy serve as hooks for whatever that may be.

Regardless, there is absolutely _nothing_ in the standard AFAICT which
indicates the containers must use the allocator's construct and
destroy, and several implementations in fact do not.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com